16 November 2005

£4m for 'glass' railway station

A SUM of £4million has been accepted by Lewisham council for the development of Deptford railway station and the surrounding area.

The money came from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), which also gave £600,000 in 2004 to buy land needed for the scheme.

It was officially accepted by the Lewisham Mayor and cabinet committee last Wednesday. The station will be glass with a metal roof and there will be a public square and new shops alongside it.

A building containing more than 100 flats is to be built next door in Octavius Street on the site of the car park and Rose Apple day centre.

Not amused

ELEVEN businesses and organisations are opposing an application for another amusement arcade in Lewisham High Street.

Ablethird Ltd wants to convert the ground floor of premises at 97-99 and install amusement machines that give cash prizes.

Ablethird, which already operates around 50 similar centres in the south-east, says the premises will be carpeted throughout and fitted with sound-proofed ceilings and CCTV security cameras. Lewisham council's licensing committee is to look at the application tomorrow.

Businesses in the High Street are concerned because there are already two other amusement arcades nearby - an existing Ablethird amusement centre at number 165 and another one, owned by Blackheath Leisure (Carousel) Ltd, at number 96.

Lynsey Walker, supervisor at Shoe Zone Ltd, which would be opposite the proposed amusement centre, said: "This company already has one arcade in Lewisham High Street - why do they need a second?

"We would prefer the premises to be another shop or a financial institution."

Nobody from Ablethird Ltd was available for comment.

Lewisham business awards launch

Mayor of Lewisham, Steve Bullock, donned an apron and served customers at a local café as he launched the 2006 Lewisham Business Awards.

Steve served customers at Irie Jamaican Café in New Cross Gate, which won last years Best New Business award.

The Lewisham awards recognise achievement in areas such as innovation, customer service, creativity and social enterprise, and not just turnover or profit.

Steve praised local businesses in the Lewisham area: “The success of last year's awards shows that the Lewisham Business Awards are a great initiative and well wroth taking part in. I urge all Lewisham business people to give it a go!”

The awards are open to all businesses in Lewisham borough, and businesses themselves choose which category they would like to enter.

The awards are supported by the well known local comedian and DJ, Angie Le Mar: "As a resident and business woman I know the huge contribution local businesses make to the borough of Lewisham. They drive its economy and represent the fantastic diversity of the area. The Lewisham Business Awards recognise and celebrate that contribution so I'm very pleased to be involved."

Owner of Irie Jamaican Café, Janet McGowan said: “We were so excited when we won the Best New Business Award. Since then we have really seen the benefits to our business of being involved.”

There are eleven categories businesses can enter, each with a different sponsor:

Company of the Year
Best new company
Growth business of the year
Best use of innovation
Best customer care
Mayor’s award for corporate responsibility
Best social enterprise
Safety award
Creative business of the year
Environmental excellence award
Most popular retailer in Lewisham town centre

Entry Form? Click.